Article excerpt

During the last several years, colleges and universities across the country have begun to tailor their business curriculum to better meet the needs of a variety of industries. The days of a basic business administration degree are gone. Students today are encouraged to specialize in fields like finance, marketing, banking, information systems or real estate. These industry-specific degrees give graduates the tools to enter at better-than-entry-level positions.

Companies with real estate management portfolios should seek out students who have chosen to specialize in real estate. Ideal candidates are those who complete the requirements of their degree satisfactorily and have shown participation in extracurricular activities around campus. Working with people is a key aspect of property management, and extracurricular involvement and relevant summer employment are beneficial to a job applicant: It's important to focus on finding a well balanced candidate.

IREM has realized the importance of capturing emerging talent early. The Institute now directs resources toward college graduates through its Web site, www.getrealgetready.com. This site answers many questions a potential job applicant might have when entering the real estate management profession. Topics like, "What does a property manager do each day?" or "What are my career options?" are addressed here. The Web site also provides a general guide to salary ranges in the industry that allows potential applicants to be better informed of their earning potential.

Career fairs at local colleges and universities are another great way to identify emerging talent, and can give a boost in visibility for companies, too. It's a win-win situation. Career fairs allow your company to talk with potential job candidates at a single location. Participation at career fairs provides further exposure to students and their schools to the real estate industry. …